Chapter Five: Presume
After the firm hand shake Sephiroth would let go and turned his attention back to Reno who was trying to readjust his jaw and winced.
"Now, I'll take Reno and Rude to the barracks. There, they can spend quality time." Sephiroth smirked and finally allowed for Reno to breath normal air, rather than a brick wall. Sabin gestured for Rude to get up and guided him to the barracks with her katana. The two silver haired warriors then disappeared down a turn at an intersection.
Cloud exhaled loudly and blinked, he was still trying to comprehend this all. However, Aerith stepped up and next to him watching Sabin and Sephiroth vanish, that broke his thought and he smirked.
"So...Do you still want to go on that date?" Cloud asked, in a amused tone. Aerith turned to him and smiled.
"All right, then we can tell Leon, Yuffie, and Cid what happened."
"Yeah. Er...This way," Cloud gestured forwards and kept walking, Aerith latched around his arm and followed. The street was still vacant, but slowly, people would make their ways back unto the cobble stone.
"Reno? Rude...?! What in Hollow Bastion happened to you?"
"TSENG?!" The red-head and bald Turk yelled in unison as they entered the barracks. Running up to their Wutaian Turk leader they just stared at him, however Reno's face was more animated with surprise than Rude's who kept his composure well. Sephiroth folded his arms over his chest and smirked. Sabin saluted to the General and exited the barracks for the Turk HQ.
"Well," Reno began. "We've been workin' for Sephy-boy here, but, when we were doing a ambush job for him he just up and arrests us! Talk about a trai--"
"That's enough Reno." Sephiroth spoke up and stalked his way to the three Turks. Tseng raised his storm gray eyes upward to the six foot even General and showed utter confusion and surprise. Reno growled and turned half-way to the silver haired Ex-Demi-God.
"Pfft! I just got started, Sephy! What the hell were you thinking back there? Allegiance with Cloud?!"
Tseng only gasped. Sephiroth raised up his hand and suddenly clapped it against Reno's mouth. The red head's eyes widened as he tried to pry off the gloved hand, but Sephiroth had a death grip upon his jaw. Rude just watched in his perfected military stance.
"General Sephiroth," Tseng briskly stated. "Tell me, is what my comrade say true? Did you alley up with Cloud Strife -- The enemy?"
"Let me elaborate," Sephiroth sighed and glared at Reno only to fixate his gaze upon the black haired Tseng. "When Hollow Bastion returned to it's city stance I regained my title as Hollow Bastion's Army General. Your comrades Reno and Rude came to me with a compromise on trying to exact their revenge upon Strife. It seems as if Reno has taken your role and recruited even more Turks. Today, I ordered them to ambush Cloud along with Aerith since I saw them pass by. Yes, I did arrest your men," Sephiroth lowered his hand from the struggling Reno. "Let us go into my office." Sephiroth then gestured down the corridor. Tseng nodded.
So, Reno and Rude awaited in the main lobby area while a soldier at the information desk played a game of trying to shoot staples from the stapler into the trash bin. Reno seemed intrigued, but one couldn't tell with Rude with his sunglasses on.
"So," Reno began, watching as a staple soared through the air, only to fall to it's demise next to the metal trash bin. "Are we still arrested?"
"..." Rude gave a moment of thought. "I think so."
"Ah, all right."
"Why do you think Sephiroth changed?" Aerith asked while fiddling around with her red plastic coffee stirring device. Together they sat in the somewhat busy cafe, facing each other as Cloud just hunched over his own coffee. He wasn't much on coffee but with Aerith he was willing to try anything.
"I...Don't know. I would say for revenge but...He looked...Sane."
"That's creepy!" Aerith frowned then sipped at her French Vanilla java. Cloud's eyes seem to brighten as he then looked up to her and gave a comforting smirk.
"Don't worry about it. I'm still your bodyguard, right?"
"Of course you are!" Aerith grinned, very glad that he still remembered. To Aerith, it was like fate that they would meet in the old church. Oh, how she missed the collapsed church. Her flowers. The orphan children that would help her tend to the small garden. Then, like an angel, Cloud came falling through the roof to protect her. Though, she also understood he was still unstable at the time and couldn't help with the Sephiroth at the Ancient's Capitol incident.
It mattered not, she still loved him.
"See? You don't have to worry." Cloud's words broke her reminiscent haze. She blinked and nodded with a smile and head tilt. Cloud peered down at his coffee and gave a weak frown. Aerith noticed.
"Something wrong with your coffee?" She asked.
"Uhm...I've never had coffee."
"What!? Didn't you have to keep awake during patrol in your ShinRa days?"
"Yeah, but, the mako kept you going..."
"Oh...Well, it isn't that bad. Give it a try!"
Cloud gingerly placed the porcelain cup closer to his mouth and gave a good sniff of the brown looking liquid. It smelt good -- Hazelnut. With a shrug he gave a good actual swig of the coffee and lowered the cup back unto the dark wooden table. That really jolted him.
"Wow."
Aerith giggled. "See? It isn't that bad."
"Yeah, you're right."
"C'mon Aerith!"
So, the coffee made Cloud a little hyper. He jogged down the street, one hand clasped about Aerith's own hand. He guided her through the crowds within the streets and to a plaza near the heart of the city. Panting, Aerith looked around the more spacious area. The plaza was tiled with white and gold, the gold making a design of a intricate heart. Up-beat music played from a band near the middle and couples danced to it.
Cloud beamed with pride since the date was going well. Aerith gave out a laugh and clung to his arm, amazed at Cloud's romance.
"Here, lets dance." Cloud looked down to her, green eyes reverted upward to his illuminating blue irises.
"Okay." Aerith let go of his arm as Cloud then took her hand and walked her up closer to the band. Turning to face her he then placed one hand reluctantly to her waist and still clasped about the other. Aerith placed her own free hand unto his shoulder and smiled happily up at him. He smirked and started to sway to the music. Shuffle of feet was made, as well.
"Let me twirl you." Cloud muttered as Aerith nodded.
Cloud outstretched his arm, allowing for Aerith to give a good twirl and retrieve herself back to him. Cloud clung to her tightly and closely only to make her bow forward. Aerith giggled as they returned back to a more straight stance and swayed left to right.
The up-beat tune died down into more melancholy and slow beat. The music flowing easily, making any romantic date perfected. Also, Cloud picked a good time to take Aerith on a date. The once high sun would be lowering into a slumber slowly, so the gold upon the tiling below glistened somewhat. Lamps were lighted all across the Hollow Bastion city, too.
The only female band member would step up to the microphone and wait for the intro to follow through into the beautiful rhythm and sung her song like a lark in a tree.
Sabin watched from a rooftop. Legs hung over the edge as her arms were outstretched behind her to support her upper body. With a sad expression she watched Cloud and Aerith dance. Sabin imagined herself down there with her special someone.
"Hey," A familiar voice rang from behind, she didn't turn for it since she knew who it was: Kain. The more silent Turk. "What are you doing up here?" He came walking up and sat next to her with legs crossed like a samurai. His hair hiding his expression as Sabin turned her gaze to him.
"Watching. See," Sabin pointed at Cloud and Aerith, Aerith now had both arms over Cloud's shoulders and Cloud held unto Aerith's waist with his chin rested upon her bare shoulder. Sabin smirked and lowered her arm.
"Ah-hm..." Kain trailed off and slowly stood back up, dusting off his casual clothing: A white shirt with the sleeves rolled up and black pants. Sabin snapped out of her reverie and quickly stood up, catching Kain's arm before he could leave her be. He turned half-way to her as she blushed somewhat.
"Do...Do you wanna dance?" She asked, feline like eyes in a pleading manner. Kain blinked, and just silently and slowly nodded. His hands absent-mindedly went for her waist as her hands rested upon his shoulders -- Like two middle-school students trying to dance to a romantic song. Kain's mysterious dark eyes reading her own.
Truly a romantic night.
And the singer sung her song.
End of Chapter Five.